Is President Obama drinking the Thomas Friedman, one world, so-called "Free Trade" Kool-Aid?

Is President Obama drinking the Thomas Friedman, one world, so-called "Free Trade" Kool-Aid?

Jun. 13, 2012 9:26 am

By louisehartmann

Currently – the President is working on a new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact to open up trading markets with eight Pacific nations. This morning – a critical document outlining new provisions in this trade deal was leaked – revealing the President stands behind giving foreign transnational corporations' unprecedented power to abuse American workers, pollute our environment, and destabilize our markets.

Under the agreement – American companies would have to comply with American law and any labor, banking, and environmental regulations. But foreign companies operating on U.S. soil wouldn’t have to. Instead, they can appeal to an international tribunal that has the power to overturn laws passed by our Congress – and levy trade sanctions on the United States. In other words – if this trade deal passed then Americans laws would no longer apply to foreign business tycoons setting up shop in the United States.

This is yet another blow to American sovereignty – and the power of “we the people” to protect our commons and our workers. We’re headed toward a nationless world where only transnational corporations rule – and they aren’t exactly big fans of democracy or the middle class.

Just one more reason why a lot of progressives are disillusioned with President Obama. It is beginning to look like that the meeting with Hillary Clinton before His Election was nothing more than, the passing of the torch to the next corporate Democrat.He caved on the Marijuana DecimalizationHe caved on the war crimes of Bush and CheneyHe supported the extension of the patriot actWe are still in AfghanistanHe caved on the extensions of the Bush tax cutsHe caved on Medicare for all or Single Payer.He Caved on BPHe Caved on Off shore drillingHe caved on new construction of Nuclear power plants.and on and on.Is it any wonder most Progressives have had enough?People will vote for the Republican, because at least they know the devil the are, rather than the Devil not seen calling themselves your friend, only to find the pain in your back was the knife put there by someone claiming to be one of us.Watch out for the next big scandal Like Bills impeachment, that gave cover to what was going on behind the scenes like the end of Glass-Steagll act of 1933.The Junk E-Mails are already circulating rewriting history as to how the Democrats voted for everything that caused the banking collapse.I Know we need to vote for Obama because of “The Supreme Court”. But more and more they are having little relevancy to anything as trade deals like this are put in place. Once The "NEW WORLD OREDR" is firmly in place courts mean nothing, where the rule of the day will be "Corporate Rule" not "the Rule of Law". I Honestly Think Ted Kennedy Would be turning over in his grave at what President Obama has done, Obama Care, which I might add when Richard Nixon offered this almost exact proposal to Ted Kennedy and He Refused it.Unfortunately President continues to play the consummate politician by saying what the people want to hear, than doing what his Corporate master tell him to do, can you say Tim Geithner? By his continuing to do this he is destroying the Democratic Party, and snubbing the Progressives, and Liberals.Do you wonder why he has no support?Just how many times can you believe in something only to have the rug pulled out from under you with yet another "What I meant to say, or What I really meant was.."As I said President Obama is becoming more and more like Bill Clinton the second. and we all know how well that that worked out. Loss of freedoms with the 72 hours of "free spying" on Americans, in the name of security, opening the door for the Patriot act. Than the end of banking regulations with Glass-Steigle, NAFTA. I think it was only dumb luck that the economy did well thanks to the dot com boom. but large corporate interests made about really well as long as there were not regulations to stop them, but the hardware production was already beening offshored to China, leaving only the illusion that things were looking up.I think that no matter what happens as long as These Cooperate Republican policies are passed Obama will be just fine… It's the rest of the 99% that I'm concerned with.“When Will The Greed Stop”.

Where's that damn Aflac duck to plug all the leaks? And in addition to the already mentioned leak here is another one to further embarrass this fascist regime (the one that wears the name of Republican or Democrat...because you sure can't tell them one from the other anymore)....

Kaspersky Labs has been investigating and analyzing the Stuxnet virus that was engineered and unleashed upon Iran's nuclear program by both the US and Israel. That virus got out and infected unintended victim's computers around the world.

Since then, a new virus called Flame has been engineered, also by the US and Israel, and unleashed upon Iran. And, it too now has infested computers around the world. And if you listened to the 'Security Now' podcast, at grc.com , last week where they talk about this..they also talked about a man in the middle attack on Windows auto-updates....Scary, when what you think are Windows updates are actually man in the middle attacks who can cause all kinds of problems..steal sensitive data...inject viruses...whatever you do...don't bank online!

Kaspersky found some strong evidence, in the code, that Stuxnet and Flame viruses were both created by the US and Israel. And that is in addition to the now publicly known fact that President Obama actually ordered a wave of cyberattacks, code named Olympic Games, that unleashed these cyberwar agents against Iran's nuclear program.

Unfortunately, it has all come back to infect everyone else in the world who managed to get the malware. The Flame virus is a "swiss-army knife of surveillance" and can turn on computer microphones to listen in on people, capture screen-shots of what is on the computer monitor, and even pick up on blue-tooth cell phones near-by. This, of course, is not something new...because hackers have been doing this for quite a while. But Flame is supposed to be some uber version of spyware way above what the typical hacker might have.

When most of the world has the "closed" (just trust us..it works) proprietary Windows Operating Systems, most of the world is vulnerable to the dictates of this American created software. Perhaps they should be using, at least, some version of Linux or other operating system that is "open source", like Linux...so they can easily catch any hanky panky code insertions that would otherwise be harder to detect in the non-open source Windows OS. How much do you trust your software...even encryption software..that they don't have back doors? How much do you trust that proprietary "Virtualization software" (even if, or especially if, it is free) that you think is protecting you from the "bad" guys (like 3 letter orgs that want to spy on you)? These 3 letter orgs have strong ties with well-known high tech companies and pay them very well for their services.

This was all supposed to be highly classified and I suspect that much of the recent ire and statements made by embarrassed government officials about "the leaks" that will result in America's allies not trusting or cooperating with us anymore had to do with this recent key-stone kops cyber attack on Iran. The officials don't want us to believe unofficial leakers and call them names but expect everyone else to be gullible enough to believe their own intended internal leaks that they use for their own self-serving propaganda.

I'm just glad the US and Israel have not yet used bio-warfare viruses against anyone..have they (AIDS?)? Flying Spaghetti Monster...I hope not!

I suspect it won't be long...these idiots will destroy the earth one way or another. Somehow, I think they will not be satisfied in their ruination of the earth's biosphere causing global warming..they are going to get impatient and unleash something really horrible before that, I'm afraid. But first, they will be wiping out all our savings accounts and blaming it all on the depositors..mostly those that bank on-line who, allegedly, got hijacked by some hacker. And the courts have frequently decided in favor of the banks.

Greek citizens are wise to stock up (horde) on food. We might do well to do the same thing.

Remember Dr. Ravi Batra from past Hartmann Shows? I learned about "The Myth of Free Trade" from the show, and it turned me against free trade for all time. The data presented only goes up to 1990, but clearly things have only gotten worse in recent years.

Opinions and dogma sway public opinion back and forth, but hard data never lies. Someone needs to shove the data in Obama's face, shut up, and let him draw the only sane conclusion he can. - Free Trade Sucks!!

Although I agree there are plenty of things that can be pointed to for which there is no distinction between republicans and democrats, those things are uninteresting to me when it comes to deciding who to vote for, or whether to show up to vote or not. Reason being there are plenty of other differentiating factors. It's silly to think these two parties are the same, nothwistanding these nondifferentiating factors. One only needs to look at what came out of the Pelosi House, most of which was blocked by the minoriy (republican) party in the senate, with what has come out of the Boehner House. Folks, it is night and day.

Please, even if at the end of the day you consider it supporting the lesser of two evils, please do it with your vote. Otherwise we just get stuck with the worse. Whether you think it's much worse or not, worse is worse. I happen to think it's much much worse.

p.s. On a wealth tax. I was wondering what others think about this. Isn't it the case that every time the fed prints more money a wealth tax is being imposed?

It does seem like President Obama who promised transparency isn't keeping that promise either. But given the NONOs in Congress it is understandable why he hasn't moved in a more progressive direction. This PPT is troubling to me--more so than any other moves he has made or has not made. That being said, the alternative is to vote Republican--vote for Mitt. I refuse to do that!!! We must support Obama's bid for re-election in every way possible! But we have to put the pressure on the President to stop drinking that tea tinged Cool-aid! He is not a progressive, I don't think he ran on a progressive platform. But he has crossed a line here and is showing a hard drift to the right.

Lets support Obama by getting involved with the Democratic Party and work from within to pressure the 2012-2016 Obama to move back toward the left!

On his tv show (I think again yesterday) Thom explained how, from this nations inception (until like the mid-1800's?) income into the Treasury from import tariffs paid for all expenses of the federal government. Now however we instead have an "insane" tax regime where corporations exploit 'the commons' while (through exemptions and/or evasion) are obligated to pay a relatively and/or historically low proportion of their income in taxes. I also appreciate (and previously have also adovocated for) the concept of there being a wealth tax on individuals.

If you are going to vote for Obama...don't vote for him because you believe he is the least of the evils...or the choice who you foolishly believe will begin to fight for us instead of giving everything away to the rich and powerful. Vote for him because he sounds intelligent...even though he is likely lying about everything he says. Vote for him because he is young and has poise...or you like his voice or color of skin...righteous! we really showed the world how unbiggoted we are, didn't we...some of our best friends are....so now that history has been made and ignorance has been conquered (or has it gotten worse?) lets get on with it.

Let's vote for Obama once more...not for any really important reasons that have anything to do with a government that will protect and support the majority of the people who happen to be at the bottom of the food chain..but for any other unimportant reason. Vote like you are a lazy couch potato who only gets his information on the 6:00 o'clock news...highly susceptible to being influenced by whatever shiney bells and whistles...banners and slogans..ebullient bravdo...campaign slogans...that appeal to you. It really won't matter because real democracy is long dead in the US. And there is nothing you can do about it...if you think voting is going to matter. It won't! The corrupt and sell-out Democrats are part of the illusion. They are the faux hope that they sell the masses to keep the masses from uprising beyond the crooked system that they call Democracy.

I'll likely vote for Obama, again, but this time not because I think he will do anything good for us this time. I will vote for him because I detest that job destroying, sleazy opportunist Mitt Romney. If I have nothing better to do that day, yes, I'll probably vote again...waste of time that it is. Although, I will probably hate myself for participating,yet again, in a farce...further helping to support the illusion that we have Democracy in America. But, I'd much rather be looking at Obama than Romney for the next four years. Romney is just too much of a goof-ball, spoiled-rich kid, who exudes arrogance through every pore. Oh, and he will likely treat what remains of the American working poor very badly and do it in our faces.

I agree with you 100 % and the knowledgeable should also do the same . and of corse the uninformed too. we do not need to be casting a vote for a trip back to the politics thet have so scheemingly have put us in the position were in for the past 30 or so years. stay with it and have some faith that the fight will bring the kind of change we need . no it's not going to happen overnight , and the other side wont give in or let it happen so easily.stick with thom and any other true reforming advocate and do all you can to pass on the wave of change that is erupting throughout the country. we finally have the means to broadcast and get through to the masses if we keep at it. DAMMIT ! im tired of nothing changing and staying that way for the past 45 or so voting years.

How's this for an idea. would anyone else like to see a show with thom and any other good sided person discussing the various topics for a full hour I mean anyone that is trueley giving us food for thought that will spark some more change and wakeup the masses of public that are as tired of this bull as I am . alyona, and other media reformers and outside groups like move on, move to amend, free speech , and the financial wizardry of some of the best minds along with a room full counter all of the abuse thom takes when he actually gangs up on himself with these right wing bigots and fights a fair fight. maybe we should present a petition to him asking for this media help ! hey thom, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK !

I am shocked that the Obama administration would support this trade agreement as "leaked"! I'd like to see President Obama defend his support of this legislation LIVE before the American people! Could the leak be a product of the President's political enemies? Or is the leak a genuine attempt to get public response and/or attract more campaign funding from pro-business sources? What IS his agenda? We the people cannot stand by any longer. We have to have facts AND hold people accountable. Any "leak" such as this, intended to test the waters for public response, should call us to make our positions clear.

Does it really matter what Obama is metaphorically drinking? All of our politicians have been purchased by the multi-national capitalists, Obama included, and are literally useless in terms of the common good. I agree with Chris Hedges, voting for Romney or Obama in this upcoming election is a waste of time and energy; neither one of them has the best interests of ordinary American citizens in mind. The common citizenry doesn't need or want the developing plutocracy but appears powerless to prevent it from happening. There are going to be some 'serious' times coming in our future... we've been through this before (and in my lifetime) but this time the workers of the country don't have any leverage. It's a sad and maddening state of affairs.

The left intelligentsia is missing the boat by not being able to present effective arguments to counter the moral/fair/fear-based arguments posed by the right. The left appears needs to be correct but the right knows how to get voters to mark the X in the 'right' place. The left has a need to be intellectually accurate but the right knows how to sell products and get voters on-board their boat. The left wants to make sense while the right wants air time to show how shocked they are at how nasty, unfair, and immoral the left is. The right gets that air time because they know how to make good theater; the left gets little air time because they're basically intellectual elites and are often boring and boorish.

A few last points: Obama still has Geithner as Treasury Secretary... what does that tell us? Obama still has Guantanamo open, modernized and expensive..what does that tell us? Obama still thinks the USA is the world's policeman... what does that tell us? Obama is committed to immoral drone warfare... what does that tell us? Obama is still kissing Jamie Dimon's ass... what does that tell us? Obama wants new powers for multinational corporations... what does that tell us?

Obama's example of someone in a restaurant splurging on steak and martinis (the Republican Party) then leaving the bill to be paid by someone else (the Democrats) just entering the restaurant to pick up the tab and then the steak and martini people (the Republicans) now trying to blame the newcomers (the Democrats) for the excesses just isn't quite true. Had Obama's regime (the Democrats) been frugal then that would have been a good analogy. But, the Democrats have played right along and had their Steak and Martinis as well. Not much has changed by the Democrats. They continued the wasteful spending...largely the extremely wasteful military operations in the Middle East. They continued letting the Bush tax breaks for the rich continue. Obama's regime, instead of being open and welcoming of whistleblowers, have become more secretive and condemning of whistleblowers. They continued the imprisonment and torture of prisoners in America's concentration camps in Guantanamo and elsewhere. And they continue to murder thousands of innocent civilians with missle launching drones. Obama and the Democrats and Republicans are mass murderers. Which mass murderer do you want to have for your next president? And Romney is just itching to be the next one. He will likely be even worse than Obama.

If people can use the "coward" word against the alleged 911 hijackers (even though they were brave..or crazy..enough to die themselves for their cause..that is if they weren't tricked into being patsies) then we can use the "coward" and "war criminal" words to describe a US President for continuing these atrocious crimes of murdering innocent civilians in the Middle East. Obama is not John Wayne...Obama is a "Coward" and and a "War Criminal" just like his predecessor, Bush!

And the Jamie Dimon "grilling" on Capital (intentional misspelling 'Capitol' because it fits) Hill was such an embarrassment. What bought off pansies our "representatives" are. What, something like 16 of the 22 representatives are heavily funded by Dimon's criminal outfit? "Gee, Mr. Dimon, Sir, your highness, would you please tell us how we can further assist you in ripping off the American people?"

And lastly, on the Alyona show today (6-14-12) they said that among people under 30 in the US there has been a 15% decrease in the number of people who believe in God. Maybe they have switched their allegiances to the Flying Spaghetti Monster. It will take a while longer, but eventually, as people learn more about science, and horny priests and preachers, atheism will rule the world. Thank God! Right on, Jenny Churchill, for your remarks.

what we need to do is show Barry that we liberals are willing to endure a Romney presidency in order to force Barry and the DNC back to the left where they belong, and where america needs them. We need to show him that we will indeed stay home in November, or vote third party unless he changes into a real liberal. Again, what's the difference between a little fascism and alot of fascism? Not much.

Barry will never move to the left unless liberals force him to. If we don't, if we fail to move the DNC back to the left where it belongs, then we fail america, and cannot be surprised at its downfall.

You need to know this... Support for Donald Trump's campaign is still growing nationally, and in early primary states, but he's not just gaining support in early primary states. A new poll from Florida shows that Trump is leading Jeb by 6 percentage points - and he's leading Rubio by 16 points.

"If we are going to live in a Democracy, we need to have a healthy middle class. Thom Hartmann shows us how the ‘cons’ have wronged this country, and tells us what needs to be done to reclaim what it is to be American."

—Eric Utne, Founder, Utne magazine

From The Thom Hartmann Reader:

"Thom Hartmann channels the best of the American Founders with voice and pen. His deep attachment to a democratic civil society is just the medicine America needs."

—Tom Hayden, author of The Long Sixties and director, Peace and Justice Resource Center.

From Unequal Protection, 2nd Edition:

"Hartmann combines a remarkable piece of historical research with a brilliant literary style to tell the grand story of corporate corruption and its consequences for society with the force and readability of a great novel."

—David C. Korten, author of When Corporations Rule the World and Agenda for A New Economy